Compassion fatigue – Building resilience

Have you ever felt overwhelmed, burdened, or simply fatigued by the job? We have all felt ‘that feeling’ at some point in our career. Some more than others; however, the importance is awareness and the ability to recognize compassion fatigue and then have the tools to overcome it. The importance of recognizing these signs and symptoms of oneself and their peers cannot be overstressed. The good news? Compassion satisfaction is characterized by the feeling of fullness and gaining joy in what we do. There are risk factors that go along with compassion fatigue. Many have negative coping skills, pre-existing high levels of stress, poor or absent social support, and most have spent years neglecting themselves to take care of others. With a combination of risk factors and providers giving themselves to others, we experience compassion fatigue to the point of offering their customers sub-par care. Building resilience is very important. Taking care of ourselves, spending time for ourselves, and resting not only our physical health, but our mental health will ensure we are offering our best every day to those we serve.

Upon completion of the webinar, the participant will be able to:
• Define compassion fatigue
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue
• Be aware of the risk factors of compassion fatigue
• Build resilience to compassion fatigue
• Know the importance of self-care and PEER support

Presenter: Brian Merry, M.Ed., CEMSO, NRP - Director of EMS, Sublette County Health Email: bmerry@sublettehealthcare.com

Facilitator: Cheri Benander, RN, MSN, CHC, C-NHCE, HACP-CMS - Director of Clinical Services, HealthTech Email: cheri.benander@health-tech.us